


Flying High And Free

by ThePrimeOne



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Early Birthday Gifts, F/M, Feelings Realization, First Flight, Fluff, Light Angst, Wyverns, birthday gifts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-16
Updated: 2020-08-16
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:01:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25939348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePrimeOne/pseuds/ThePrimeOne
Summary: The wyvern as a species had always intrigued Petra. At first for their ability to fly, their sheer size and strength second. When she first saw one amongst Adrestia's skies, she wanted desperately to see the view of the land from the air.Or, in which Petra flies on the back of a wyvern for the first time, as an early birthday gift.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert/Petra Macneary
Comments: 2
Kudos: 20





	Flying High And Free

**Author's Note:**

> This is only partly edited cos I had to upload it ASAP.

Petra couldn't find it within her to sleep. A mere two days had passed since their encounter with the Miklan and Petra couldn't stop thinking about the battle, and just how nerve-wracking the encounter had been. Multiple times she had attempted to fight the inhumanly strong opponent in his beast form but was almost casually blown back on every attempt. The battle had weighed heavily on her mind. It only proved how far she had left to grow.

Finding sleep more difficult to come by with every passing minute, Petra pushed herself out of bed, her feet brushing up against the rug on the floor of her room. It had been one of the few possessions she was able to keep when she was taken from her home and made a hostage by the Empire. One of the few things that reminded her of home every time she felt its rough material beneath her feet every morning.

A sensation that gave her a small rush of a distant feeling, its name she'd long since forgotten.

She opened her door slightly to see how early it was. With the sun barely breaking over the horizon, Petra spotted no patrols nearby. Thankfully, the greenhouse keeper happened to walk past, fiddling with her keys as she approached the stairs through thicker fog than usual. Petra quickly closed the door and rummaged through her closet. She changed out of her nightgown and into her evening wear to combat the cold air, and he set out for a walk through the early morning fog.

As she passed the remaining dormitories, Petra marched down the stairs, crossed the greenhouse and moved towards the pond. She stopped to watch over the shimmering waters for a moment, and make small talk with the fishkeeper, who was bright and early as usual. 

Petra knew she also had to see the Professor first thing in the morning during breakfast for her transfer, keeping an eye on the mess hall that would open soon. A distraction appeared suddenly, Petra spotting a Gonerilon near the pond staring at her, and she felt her heart melt a little. Domesticated cats were uncommon in Brigid, as most were wild, but she treasured the few encounters she had with them during her early childhood.

Her first encounter with a domesticated cat a year after she was taken hostage almost overwhelmed her with emotion, a tiny piece of that she couldn't quite identify. The cat turned away as Petra slowly approached, heading to the shortcut to the market. Frowning, Petra quickly followed after it, greeting the Gatekeeper in passing. Cutting through the eerily quiet marketplace, Petra followed the cat up the path that led up to the stables, climbing another set of stairs before the cat seemingly disappeared altogether. Despite her disappointment, it was quickly replaced by wonder and curiosity, spotting a wyvern flying high in the sky, and another familiar figure staring at it from the ground, a young silver-haired boy draped in training gear.

"Ashe…?" Petra called out with a little louder than she intended.

"W-who's there?! "Ashe immediately called out in surprise, frozen in place.

"Ashe. It is just me!" Petra called over to him, voice raised and arm waving at him through the morning mist. The young boy squinted and visibly sighed as she came into view, relieved to see a friendly face.

"Petra! Oh, am I glad it's just you and not a ghost."

The Princess frowned. "Ghost? Why would there be a ghost? Did you think I was a ghost?"

"What?! No, no, no, I'm not! I just uh," Ashe trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck, with a look of shame. "L-look, nevermind that. What are you doing here, Petra?" he asked curiously, changing the subject.

The Princess sighed, leaning on the outside wall of the stables. "I am finding I am unable to sleep. The battle with the Miklan has been on my mind. I was thinking I could… 'take a breather' as Caspar would say it."

"Oh," Ashe frowned. "That's not good. I'm sorry to hear that, Petra. But I can understand. Miklan, despite not having a crest, was truly formidable before he transformed, and it made me realise my lack of strength, even with all the improvements I've made. If I want to be a knight one day, I have to push for greater heights like that."

Petra agreed with him with a simple nod. It was rather pleasant speaking to someone who understood your feelings on a matter. "I have understanding. I am thinking the same. I could not be doing much damage to Miklan's beast form, but the Professor has been telling me I performed well in that battle regardless. She has told me she thinks I am closer to being... um, eligible, for the Assassin's test."

Ashe's cheeks rose into a smile. "That's great, Petra!" he said earnestly. "Knowing you, you'll pass it with ease."

Petra felt a soft, warm sensation rise in her chest. Ashe's encouragement had begun to recently mean a great deal to her, in part because he always wore his heart on his sleeve; she knew he always meant well. 

Not that encouragement from others didn't matter, or that she wasn't grateful for it, but hearing it from Ashe had begun to make her feel a little differently. Yet another feeling she struggled to describe.

"Yes, I hope that will be the case. You have my gratitude, Ashe."

"Not a problem at all." he shook his head, still smiling. An eerie silence soon fell over the two, neither sure of what to say- Ashe primarily when it occurred to him that Petra didn't have her hair braided as she usually did, her hair instead freely falling well past her shoulders. Petra shifted gaze to her, and Ashe moved his head upon realising he was staring at her.

"So…" Ashe coughed awkwardly, trying to salvage the conversation.

"Ashe."

"Y-yes?!" the boy squeaked.

Petra rubbed her chin with furrowed brows. "What are you doing in your training gear?"

Ashe looked down at himself and blinked. "Oh, right! This!" Ashe chuckled at his obliviousness. "Well, before you showed up, I was going to call down my wyvern, Rover so that I could fly with him. I… actually couldn't sleep either," he sheepishly rubbed his neck. "Though the Professor says I'm not ready to attempt the wyvern rider exam just yet, the Professor and Seteth are at least confident in my ability to fly, so I've been permitted to take Rover on my own accord during certain times. In the mornings, I like to fly with him when it's quiet. It's an easy way to get training in and just to relax before classes begin.

"You can fly your wyvern as you like? That is sounding truly wonderful," Petra longingly smiled- one Ashe didn't miss. "But how do you call Rover down?" she queried him.

"Oh, it's simple really…"

Ashe explained the process to her. Unsurprisingly, communication was vital to working with a wyvern. A part of the certification test for a Wyvern Rider to train their wyvern to understand basic commands in battle and to call them at a moment's notice in specific scenarios such as an enemy ambush. Such feats were simplified by the species' hearing being significantly more reliable than humans. Ashe demonstrated for her, letting out a whistle and calling for Rover, his young wyvern flying down from the skies and landing next to Ashe. 

The wyvern as a species had always intrigued Petra. At first for their ability to fly, their sheer size and strength second. When she first saw one amongst Adrestia's skies, she wanted desperately to see the view of the land from the air, that feeling following her in the years since her arrival in the Empire. The first time she saw one up close was at the monastery when the Blue Lions were readying to set out on a mission, Seteth prepping his gear to attend the mission to evaluate the new Professor's prowess as a teacher outside of the monastery walls. Seteth's wyvern had quite the brutish appearance, betrayed by the act of it wrapping its wing around Flayn protectively when Sylvain approached her to talk. 

It was rather amusing to watch.

Ashe's wyvern, Rover, was no exception. He was quite protective of Ashe, but it's younger age gave the beast a particular youthful vigour more akin to Claude's wyvern than Seteth's. Rover curiously leaned his snout towards Petra and sniffed her, not unlike the cats and dogs that populated Garreg Mach.

"Woah there, Rover," Ashe patted his neck lightly. "Give Petra some space, okay?"

Rover looked at Ashe and huffed, sitting down with its wings drooped.

Ashe rolled his eyes, his smile suggesting he was amused more than anything. Though it was a telltale sign of a wyvern being upset, Ashe reassured her that he knew Rover acted more akin to a child, both easily disappointed, yet just as easily amused.

Petra stared up in awe at the beast. She'd never been able to see Rover so up close in person before. Ashe was always too far in the sky during his training, and the first time she'd had the faintest opportunity to see it up close, other plans, primarily tea with Dorothea had gotten in the way. 

Not that she regretted it. Tea with Dorothea was an experience she enjoyed.

Bringing her thoughts back to the present, Petra shook her head. "I am not minding. He is quite adorable."

Rover looked up at Petra again, moving his snout closer to sniff her again.

"You can pet him if you want. He won't bite, I promise," he reassured Petra. Her eyes widened, surprised that he'd allowed it so quickly, but seeing Rover's head perk up as she stepped forward told Petra all she needed to know. The Princess reached out a hand towards the left side of Rover's neck, her hand softly brushing up against the beast's warm, tough skin. The sensation was odd at first, but Petra grew fond of it quickly. Rover let out a low, happy rumble, pushing against Petra's hand, enticing her to speed up rubbing his neck.

"Rover, was it? I am glad you are Ashe's partner. When I was seeing you in training with Ashe from afar, you were both battling with great ferocity. I am thinking you two are a good fit."

Ashe rubbed the other side of Rover's neck. "You think so? What do you think, Rover?"

The wyvern closed his eyes and whined happily against Ashe and Petra's hands rubbing his skin as they moved to the top of Rover's head.

"Rover and I got along pretty quickly. Seteth was even surprised at how effectively we worked together for our first battle, so that must be a good sign. Though he was a bit of a handful to deal with at first, weren't you?"

Rover huffed, warm air escaping his nostrils.

"Should I be taking that as a yes?" Petra giggled at the beast. Rover lets out a sound from his chest that almost sounds like a very deep purr from a cat, Petra not realising how much it caught Ashe off-guard.

"Huh. I think he really likes you, Petra," Ashe gaped in surprise. The girl looked at her friend with a tilted head.

"What do you mean?"

"That sound he makes are ones wyverns only make around their riders and those it trusts. Like Seteth's wyvern, Cerulean, with Flayn. I've never heard him make that sort of around anyone else before. He's only made that around me." Ashe frowned, quite bewildered. Petra let the information sink in, her expression quickly mirroring his.

"That is strange," was all she could say.

"Yeah, it is." Ashe stared at Rover for some time, and Petra ruminated over the information in his silence.

Despite how satisfied he sounded, Rover eventually shook his neck, Petra and Ashe forcing their hands away from the beast. The wyvern whined impatiently, lying down on the ground.

"Okay, okay, Rover, I'll go get the saddle, then we can go fly for a bit, okay?" Ashe reassured his steed. Rover's head perked, eyes shining with excitement at Ashe, his tail lightly slapping the ground like a happy dog. Ashe rubbed Rover's head amongst Petra's chuckling at their cute interactions.

Ashe turned his gaze to the Black Eagle student. "Have you ever ridden on a wyvern before, Petra?" 

She shook her head, trying to suppress a growing desire to ask if that could be changed- but she knew better than to interfere with his own leisure time. "No, I have not, but I have always had curiosity. But I am sure flying such a beast would take much work to do, and to supervise," she answered both the question he asked and one she knew he would ask.

And judging by his reaction, she guessed right. "O-oh. Are you sure? I'm sure Rover, um, would love to have you along."

She wondered for a moment if that 'um', meant to mean anything else.

_'Rover and I...?'_

Petra nodded sadly. "I am appreciating the offer, Ashe, but I must be going to see your Professor soon. I want to organise my transfer as soon as possible."

"Transfer? You're moving to the Blue Lions?" asked Ashe, looking at her, thoroughly startled.

"Yes," Petra nodded. "I was discussing it with your Professor yesterday, and with Professor Manuela. I am to transfer soon after my birthday."

Ashe shot her a curious glance. "Oh? Is your birthday soon? When is it?"

"Five days from today. On the 7th of the Horsebow Moon."

His eyes went wide. "Oh! I didn't know it was so soon. Well, I hope your birthday will be a great one, Petra. Anything you particularly want for your birthday?"

Petra started at Rover for a moment, the wyvern eyes locking with her. It was oddly adorable. "No," she lied, looking back at Ashe. "I do not want anything in particular for my birthday. Being with my friends is enough."

Ashe frowned, unconvinced. "Are you sure? I've always gotten something for my classmates when it's their birthdays…"

Petra shook her head. "You do not need to be doing that for me, Ashe. But you have my gratitude for your kindly offer."

Ashe shook his head, strangely insistent. "You're going to be a part of the Blue Lions soon, Petra. You're going to be one of us whether you think you are or not," he said firmly. "Sure you're not a part of our class _now_ , but I feel bad if I didn't get you one, know what I do now."

Petra felt warm inside hearing his words.

Before she could respond, Ashe interjected.

"Would you like to take a ride with Rover and I Petra?" Ashe's eyes lit up. "You said you've never done it before, right? Not that you have to feel like you have to, but it's your birthday soon! Just consider this an early gift. I promise that you won't be a nuisance. Rover would love to have you come along, and I would too, Petra," he reassured her, his voice had grown quieter, cheeks dashed with a rosy red.

Her heart skipped a beat for a moment, and Petra barely registered it. Spirits, he just had to say it in that way, didn't he? In the way that his boyish charm made her feel a knot in her stomach, not helped by his embarrassed smile made her heart beat faster than she could handle. 

She stared at her feet and considered his offer. She mentally chastised herself for making this so difficult for herself when she could've just asked to begin with.

"Okay. I would be appreciative of that, Ashe."

Ashe blinked, legitimately surprised she agreed. "Oh! Great! Okay. Let's get you some riding gear, and we can start whenever you're ready to go," Ashe said enthusiastically, motioning for Petra to follow him to a nearby storeroom in the stable area; finding Petra a suitable set of gear fit for her. 

Ashe remained outside, prepping Rover as Petra got changed in the designated changing rooms. Later, the Princess exited the building while fiddling with her hair. She finished putting it up into a messy bun, unlike her usual braided hair when she arrived at Ashe's side again.

"This training gear is being quite uncomfortable," Petra frowned. 

"Yeah, it's not the most comfortable thing ever, but these do the job in keeping us warm. Especially where we're going to go," Ashe assured Petra as he secured the final harness and effortlessly leapt onto the front of the two-person saddle. Ashe glanced at Petra and held out a hand. She looked at it for a moment before Ashe retracted it.

Petra smirked, leaping up and sitting comfortably on the second saddle behind Ashe.

Ashe shook his head with a hearty laugh. "I should've known better."

"It is okay!" she exclaimed back, holding onto the horn of her saddle. Rover felt the extra weight on his back and sat up excitedly. Easing the wyvern into their flight, Ashe patted his wyvern's neck, commanding him to lift off the ground. Petra let out an audible gasp, feeling Rover squirm excitedly, her feet leaving the solid ground as the wyvern pushed up into the air. 

"Hold on!" Ashe called out behind him.

"I shall!" Petra grasped the horn of her half of the saddle more securely, staring in wonder as the buildings around them became smaller and smaller. Her heart began to beat excitedly, her expression of awe turning into one of excitement. For a moment, she felt her stomach drop from the sudden elevation, before the sensation went away, replaced with something else.

Looking up from the ground that grew further away with each second, her eyes grew wider in awe of the tops of Garreg Mach monastery, seeing the steeples of the various towers and the cathedral for the first time. It was strange, yet oddly exhilarating viewing it from a new perspective, Petra surprised at the pristine condition that even the most seemingly unreachable areas of the monastery were kept in.

Petra glanced down at the smaller stables and dining hall from their height, Ashe steadily guiding Rover around various parts of the monastery before settling Rover down on the edge of a tower. 

"Well? What do you think so far, Petra?" Ashe turned back to her.

Petra couldn't find it in her to respond still too excited by the sudden adrenaline of merely just taking off, but quickly composed herself.

"That was incredible, Ashe," Petra brightly grinned ear to ear.

She was quite frankly astounded by the various landmarks becoming tiny enough to fit between her fingers with a closed eye, even more so by the people walking throughout the monastery being but small dots.

"Well, when you're ready to go just let me know, okay? I have another spot to show you."

She silently nodded, taking in the sight of the monastery from the tower for just a little longer before holding onto the horn of her saddle. 

"Ashe. I am ready to go."

Ashe nodded feverishly, eager to take to the sky. They took off moments later, and eventually, even the tower's spire began to grow small like specs of dust as Rover gained height. Petra gaped wide-eyed down at the monastery entirety below them. She understood Garreg Mach was massive in size, but seeing the sheer scale of building it all against the landscape it had been constructed on made it hard to comprehend. Such things like this did not exist in Brigid- at least, not to this scale. It was one of the things that utterly fascinated her about Fodlan's craftsmanship.

"It's hard to believe it looks like this from up here, huh? I've made this trip so many times, but even now I can hardly believe it looks like this," Ashe looked down with a smile.

"Yes. Unbelievable," Petra breathed. Her eyes remained glued down at the ground before she felt something in her stomach drop. The Brigid royal averted her eyes immediately, squirming in her saddle up in settling her gaze on Ashe's back. It was a sensation foreign to her, one that must have related to heights, she concluded.

Ashe turned as best he could to look at her, feeling the saddle move. "Are you feeling okay, Petra?"

"Yes. Though I am feeling rather strange," Petra frowned.

"Let me guess. You felt something strange in your stomach, didn't you?"

Her eyes widened, surprised he deduced as such so quickly. "Yes! It was just as you are saying," nodded Petra.

"I know that feeling well. Seteth and Claude told me that it's normal to feel that when it's your first time flying. I'd know. Because it- really- didn't go well for me the first time around," said Ashe, sheepishly before he hastily cleared his throat.

"B-but! While It's not a good feeling, when you fly enough, you get used to being up so high. Since it's your first time, you may feel a little sick, so please tell me if you do, okay? I'd hate for you to feel so terrible on your first time riding a wyvern, and I'd hate to discourage you from trying again if you do like it."

There he went again, Ashe being concerned with making her comfortable. While she knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself, hearing such it from Ashe made her chest strangely tighten, almost uncomfortably. While she tried to suppress the strange sensations around Ashe, she knew, at the very least, her growing confidence in her choice to transfer to the Blue Lions house didn't seem misplaced if Professor Byleth's ability and Ashe himself was anything to go off.

But Petra knew she had to steel herself. She'd waited long enough to experience this She knew she couldn't let a little elevation ruin the moment for her. "I am appreciative of your words, Ashe, but that will not be necessary, because I will not need to be telling you such things." she simply stated.

Ashe nodded slowly, though still unsure. "Alright Petra, if you're sure." Guiding Rover farther out towards the mountains near Garreg Mach. "We're not meant to go too far out beyond the mountains surrounding Garreg Mach!" Ashe exclaimed. Despite the seemingly disappointing news, Petra couldn't erase the smile off her face, wind blowing against her face as Ashe veered over, around and occasionally between the rocky terrain. 

Ashe suddenly pulled Rover to a halt as they rapidly approached a rocky wall. Petra gasped and held onto the horn of her saddle with both hands, almost sure they were going to crash. Rover jerked his head upwards and let out a loud, excited screech. Suddenly, the steed shot his hind legs forward and turned back sharply, Ashe and Petra facing upwards as they landed more smoothly on the rocky wall than Petra expected. Rover pushed off it, and the trio veered upwards along the rising mountain top, passing its peak and shooting further into the skies, where they approached a group of clouds.

Ashe whooped loudly, with more passion and energy than any amount of rambling about his favourite Knight stories could amount to; and it was infectious. Petra couldn't and didn't hold back an excited whoop that echoed throughout the mountains like his. Petra burst out into ecstatic, equally contagious laughter at how ridiculous they wounded that made Ashe laugh along with her.

As they flew higher, the Wyvern Rider turned his head back. "Keep your eyes closed, Petra!" Ashe warned her; Rover spurred by Ashe to increase his speed. 

"Okay!" She did as he asked, shutting them promptly. Seconds later, they passed through the clouds, dry one second, covered in water droplets all over their clothes and skin. Her eyes shot open and looked down, utterly guffawed at the sight below her. 

They were flying above the cloud cover, the part of the cloud they passed through had dispersed, allowing a view down into the mountainous terrain below. Petra could hardly believe that such a sight was before.

Ashe guided Rover to a steady stop, keeping him in place for a moment. The wyvern growled happily, shaking his head, tail and furiously flapping his wings to disperse the water off his skin, catching the riders off-guard.

"Rover! Hold!" Ashe called out, his voice shaken with surprise. A high pitched squeak escaped Petra's lips as she held on and braced herself. The wyvern kept shaking for a few seconds before it stopped, shifting back to a calmer state, wings flapping at a steady pace to hold them in place.

Ashe sighed, slumped over in relief. Petra felt her heart steady. She reached up and gently tapped Ashe's shoulder.

"Ashe? Are you well?"

The Blue Lions student gave her a thumbs up. "Yes! Sorry, sorry, I should've realised he'd do that." 

"You are not needing to apologise," earnestly replied Petra. The ride on a wyvern was more than enough to make up for any bumps along the way.

"That's good, that's good," he exhaled a held breath. Rover moved its head backwards, his eyes looking up at Ashe and Petra as adorable as a wyvern could.

Ashe's eyes that were wondering the mountain widened when he realised what was wrong. "Oh! Right. That first," Ashe exclaimed, cut off by a nervous cough. He guided Rover around to face the opposite way. Ashe and Rover's eyes both fixated on the sigh ahead.

Petra peered over Ashe's shoulder and immediately felt her breath being taken away. She was too stunned to speak by the image before her, of seeing the sunrise from an entirely new perspective.

It was something straight out of a drawing by Ignatz. The sun's bright light burst out from behind the clouds, colouring the horizon in brilliant shades of a light yellow and orange that were familiar, yet equal parts new. The clouds both near and far were discoloured by the sun's rays, the floating water droplets shimmering brightly like gems.

_'Brightly like gems'_ she repeated mentally, memories of swimming in the oceans of Brigid with her father flash by her momentarily.

Her heart ached for a moment before a sudden light gust of wind blew by them, and Petra straightened her back as it danced over her skin lightly and wove through her messy bun.

She took in a deep breath and exhaled. The fresh air and atmosphere oddly resonated with Petra, it's nostalgic, calming effect she welcomed.

Petra carefully took her hands off the horn and leaned back, her arms spread out and, taking in as much of the gentle, calming wind, blowing past her and through her hair. She looked out into the horizon and closed her eyes, tuning out any little noise she could. The winds that blew through here were different. She could feel it like it was speaking to her with hushed whispers. She remembered her time in Enbarr, recalling the feeling being stronger. 

It was just like home.

Petra's eyes shot wide open, so lost in her relaxed state she'd leaned back too far; she lost her balance and fell backwards off her saddle. A sharp gasp escaped her, Petra's arms instinctively had shot forward.

"P-Petra?!" Petra heard Ashe exclaim, who noticed the saddle move backwards with Petra. "Rover!" Ashe panicked, turning back to grab Petra. Thankfully, Rover was a quick thinker. He too felt Petra's weight shift, and Petra suddenly lurched forward, Rover flicking his hind legs and tail up and moving his front body down. Petra didn't have enough time to register what happened before she slammed into Ashe's back. Petra felt her head connect with Ashe's, but ignored the pain enough to pull her arms around Ashe and hold him tightly.

"Petra! Are you okay?!" He called back, panicked like she'd been wounded in battle.

"I am!" she assured him.

Ashe sighed relieved. "Oh thank the Goddess. I was afraid I was going to lose you there. I'm just thankful Rover knew what to do."

Petra felt him lean down and thanked him with a quick neck rub. The wyvern hummed from its nostrils, air visibly escaping as it breathed out.

The Princess looked down at her arms wrapped around the Rider and Petra thought to move them before Ashe interjected.

"I don't mind if you keep holding on, Petra," Ashe said boldly, even if it took him a moment to realise. "N-not if you don't want to. I mean, and only if it makes you feel any safer, I mean! You can use the horn on your saddle if you're more comfortable with that."

Petra contemplated the thought for a moment and thought back to what happened moments ago. She remembered how warm he'd felt with his training gear on, how oddly comfortable his back was when she'd leaned against it, her heart hammering against her ribs. His body had certainly become significantly sturdier than the Ashe she'd first met at the beginning of the year.

It was... incredible. Pleasant. Welcoming. Many positive words came to mind when he'd made the offer. 

She maintained her hold on him. "I think this perhaps will do, Ashe. I am hoping this is not too uncomfortable," she awkwardly smiled.

Ashe hid his cheeks that flared up with embarrassment. "R-right. Whatever's more comfortable for you! Anyway um… Oh!" Ashe clicked his finger, finally remembering where he wanted to go. "There's somewhere else I wanna show you for a while. You don't mind, do you?"

"I am not," she replied quickly.

The wyvern rider nodded quickly and Petra felt the steed move once again back to the mountains, a little further up from where they were situated. The duo soon landed on a large part of the mountain that was protruding out from the side, making a massive cliffside they could rest on, also leading into a somewhat sizeable empty cave, big enough to fit at least more than a fair share of wyverns in it with space to spare.

When the two landed, Rover let Ashe and Petra get off his back, scurried to the cave's entrance, and plopped onto the ground with a thud. Petra giggled at the beast's childlike behaviour. The creature let out a deep, exasperated huff, its eyes already half shut.

"This spot is one of Rover's favourites to hide out in," Ashe began, showing her the inside of the cave behind Rover. "He quite likes getting away from the noise of the monastery everyone once in a while, and we discovered this little safe spot that's more than perfect for him. We've even spent some nights here together with some food we hunted for together."

Petra spotted a medium-sized circle of rocks three stacks high, the middle filled with bits of wood and sticks that were burnt to a crisp. She scrunched her nose in thought. "Ashe. The fire that was being in here lastly, it was recent fire, yes?"

Ashe blinked, surprised she could notice. "Yeah! It was actually. I'm surprised you could deduce that."

"In Brigid, we are often making fires in such fire pits, for when we are cooking food, to be speaking with the spirits, or to be making bonfires for festivals and dance. I must be complimenting you, Ashe, this fire pit is crafted with greatness. Truly another commoner technique to be learning such a thing, no?" she smirked at Ashe.

"Is it?" Ashe rubbed the back of his neck, staring at the ground. 

"Are you knowing any Fodlan nobles that are knowledgeable to make a fire pit?"

"Well… no, not really. But it's really nothing special. I kind of just put together something from what I could figure out worked best for my siblings and me when we needed warmth in the winter before Lonato took us in."

Petra frowned. "Ashe, I am sorry. I did not mean to bring up such memories."

"Oh, no, no! You're fine, Petra, I promise. It's strange, but making these little makeshift fire pits with my siblings is one of the happier memories I have of that time. The warmth it provided, however little, was always worth us slaving over."

"Ashe…"

The young girl began to comfort him, but a strong gust blew their way, preventing any angsty feelings discussed over such silly things like fire pits.

Petra squinted a moment and took a step outside the cave's entrance. Ashe followed her quickly returning to the cliffside.

The winds were strangely familiar, as they were back on the wyvern. A better part of Petra, the one brimming with optimism suggested it was as if the wind spirits from Brigid had journeyed to her in that very moment.

She contemplated such a silly thought in silence until Ashe blurted out: "Do you know where this is, Petra? The direction we're facing, I mean? Do you know where it goes?"

Petra turned her head to him, interested. "No. Tell me, where is it leading, Ashe?"

"From where we are in the mountains, we're facing west-south-west. And just over there," Ashe paused, pointing forward. "Just over the horizon is where Adrestia is, or more specifically, Fodlan's Fangs."

Petra furrowed her brows, confused as to where he was getting at. "I see…"

"But of course, if you go a little further past there…" Ashe trailed off, looking at Petra with an unsure, warm smile.

Petra blinked at Ashe, repeating his words in her head multiple times before it occurred what he meant. Petra broke off from his side and walked closer to the edge. She turned out his voice momentarily and stared into the horizon's familiar splashes of orange and yellow.

"Brigid," Petra said, short on breath.

"Yeah," Ashe nodded nervously, clearing his throat. "I-I know it's not much, and it was kind of last-minute too since it's not _actually_ Brigid, but I figured that it was the best I could do as an early birthday present," Ashe explained, but Petra didn't seem to budge.

"Um, Petra? Is everything okay?" Ashe asked tentatively, noticing her hands trembling. It took her so long, but it clicked. The horizon instantly seemed brighter, overcome with a strange feeling of optimism to the point of it almost being euphoric when everything pieced together.

It was a feeling she hadn't remembered the name of in years. Not since she discovered her father had passed. Not since she'd last felt the sand between her toes on the beaches of Brigid. Not since she'd been taken from her homeland, cruelly forced upon a brand new world at a tender age.

And in the face of a realisation, she did only one thing.

She laughed.

She let out the loudest, most genuine, heartfelt laugh she'd ever let escape her lips in years. Happy tears streamed down her face, ridiculous as it may have looked, but she cared not. She finally remembered the name of the sensation that eluded her. The small rush when she felt the hide beneath her feet as she woke up every morning, the first time a younger Petra ever saw a wyvern in Adrestia's skies, and when she saw the horizon above the clouds, covered in water droplets, hugging Ashe's back.

How could she be so blind when it was right in front of her?

It was total and utter freedom.

Freedom as she roamed her homeland's sandy beaches and water with her father's guiding hand. Freedom amongst the skies above. Independence from the Empire. Freedom for her people.

Freedom for her. To return home, to let Brigid prosper.

She'd focused so desperately on improving herself to make Edelgard see her as an equal, to make the Empire view Brigid as equals that she'd completely forgotten those old, nostalgic feelings and memories she treasured so dearly. She'd forgotten what it meant to just… be a person. Not a princess or political hostage. Just Petra Macneary, the curious, energetic girl she'd once been, still eager to learn as she was now.

She wanted to feel that again for years. And flying on the back of a wyvern around mountains and through clouds that had provided that clarity. 

Petra laughed and cried. She laughed, and laughed, crying tears of unbridled joy as she crashed into Ashe with an embrace. Ashe held her protectively on instinct as they stumbled back against Rover and hit the ground. Bewildered, Ashe held her until even he broke. For Ashe laughed until tears pricked at his eyes and broke through, and strangely still, Rover whined, hitting his tail on the ground and covering them with his wing akin to a hug as their laughter echoed through the cave, as if he too understood their feelings.

It provided Petra with a strange comfort that Ashe and Rover would cry for her, even if they understood not what she cried for.

Eventually, their tears stopped, Petra broke off the embrace and shifted away from Ashe.

They sat for what seemed like hours, leaned up against Rover's warm body in comfortable silence, barring Rover's light snores. Petra ruminated on all the memories old she'd seemingly forgotten before today until one of Ashe's hands lying on the ground brushed past hers. Petra caught him flinching in the corner of his eye, dragging his hand closer to his side.

"Ah, sorry, sorry…" Ashe trailed off, embarrassed again.

Petra shook her head. "It is okay, Ashe. I will not bite you."

Ashe's lips quirked up for a moment but fell just as quickly. "I know that, but I… I just feel embarrassed about what I asked for before we landed. I meant well, but it might not have come across that way," he blurted out, knees pulled up to his chin, buried in them. "I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable. And I'm sorry if you did."

Petra frowned. "Ashe, I promise you are not making me uncomfortable. You have only been considering for me. And because of you, I have not been feeling the way I am now for a very long time. I am appreciative of that. You have my gratitude, Ashe. All of it."

The Blue Lions student looked up at her; mouth parted with surprise. His cheeks tinted red when she maintained eye contact. Her frown turned up into a beaming smile. Petra reached out her arm to him.

"Ashe. May I?" she asked, now her turn to be bold. He hesitated a moment- but held out his left hand to her. Petra shifted closer to Ashe and intertwined her right hand with his left, clasping it together. Ashe reacted similarly, her face now reddened as profoundly as his. 

"This is nice, I am thinking. "Petra whispered, her head rested on his shoulder as they overlooked the horizon, watching the sunrise over Fodlan.

"Yeah," agreed Ashe, his voice clear and confident. "It is."

They sat in silence for a few more lingering moments before the Princess spoke up again.

"Ashe?"

"Yes, Petra? What is it?"

She tightened her embrace around his arm. "Thank you, Ashe. I have truly not had a birthday gift as wonderful as you have given me today", she whispered affectionately.

Ashe gasped when he registered what she said, her voice making the pulsation of his heart beat faster than it had before, cheeks stained in a light shade of red. He craned his head towards Petra.

"Your welcome, Petra. Anything for you," he said so naturally and smoothly.

Petra happily hummed and shifted her body closer to Ashe until there was no room left between them. Neither hadn't heard, much less felt affection so intensely from another person in a long time.

They knew they were to return as soon as possible before anyone would begin to worry.

But they supposed they could wait here. 

Just for a little longer.

* * *

"Professor!" Petra approached her new teacher a week later.

"Yes, Petra?" she blandly responded.

"There are no wyverns in Brigid, but I am wanting practice soaring in the sky. I would like to be training my axe skills as well. I have excitement for being a wyvern rider!" she exclaimed passionately.

Professor Byleth, saw Ashe smile nervously in the corner of her eye, his fingers crossed.

A rare smile formed on her lips. "But of course, Petra. Lets get you started as soon as we can."

**Author's Note:**

> Boy, that went on for longer than anticipated. For reference, this was only meant to be 3k words long. No clue what happened there lmao
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated as usual!


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